Ring up ACP and face the music

Ring up ACP and face the music
Friday December 21 2007 09:20 IST

Jaunet Gurudas

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BANGALORE: How many times have you called your friend's number just to listen to their ring-back tune (caller tune or hello tune)?

For many, it's almost routine to keep updating their ring back tune with the recent hit number, and have others sms them asking not to pick calls while they listen to the song.

But what's not commonplace and stumps journalists is to be calling officials, in earnest while rephrasing questions in their head, to be faced with a ring-back tune that goes Pal pal pal. That it jerks scribes off their seats is obvious, but some ring-back tunes just make you want to roll down and laugh.

Take for instance, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sharat Chandra's ring-back tune. He has actor Ganesh's recent hit, Cheluvina Chittara's song Ullasada Hoo Male. When asked, who picked the tune for him, he promptly says, “I did; because it is a popular song.”

He has an explanation too for the tune, “Most people are tensed when they call us up; the song relaxes them for a few seconds.” DCP Sharat Chandra even adds that he would change it in some weeks with another hit song.

The 'relaxation' explanation is something that even Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ulsoor Gate division) Ashok Kumar gives. Apart from that he adds that his son-in-law, who stays in Sydney, insists that he does not pick the call instantly.

“He asks me to let the phone ring for a while so that he can listen to the song,” ACP Ashok Kumar says while adding that many have complimented him for his melodious ring-back tune. Celebrities from the film industry too have their pick of caller tunes that are from films they are associated with.

Like, Jayant Kaikini, the lyricist of this year's Kannada blockbuster Mungaru Male has the famous Anisuthide Yakko Indu as his caller tune and director Nagabharana has the title track of his film Kalrali Hoovagi.

While surveys suggest that subscribers download a ring-back tune because it talks of their personality, one would wonder what these top-brass cops or ministers want to project about themselves.

Finally, the most surprising of all caller tunes is this one. Call Vatal Nagraj, the man who is synonymous with protests and black flags all for Kannada language and culture, and you will hear: Don ka intezaar tho gyaarah mulkon ki police kar rahi hai, lekin ek baath samaj lo, Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai. Well, what can you say! Bravo!